Brothers by Blood
by Namls
Summary: The Fellowship make their own vows of friendship and fidelity during a ceremony in the night. Experimental piece.


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Author's Note: Again I'm trying something new. I was reading King's "It" and got the idea into my head that perhaps the members of the fellowship had sealed a pact with blood as the children in King's novel did. So I began to wonder when they would do this, why and how. The result is this ficlet. Though it does not answer the question of "where" it takes place during the journey from Rivendell to Moria and I believe it's the first piece I've ever written that featured the entire fellowship. I hope no Legolas and Gimli fans will be upset by my description of the relationship between the two, this takes place before Lothlórien so they were not yet good friends. There are a few things in this story which might seem like errors, for example Aragorn knowing that the Hobbits will stay together no matter what, but they are all written with what really happened in mind. I wanted to show that none of them knew or could forsee what would happen, except for maybe Gandalf, and that things that seemed certain to them at this point wouldn't stay that way..

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Disclaimer: _The Lord of the Rings_ with its settings and characters belongs to JRR Tolkien.

Brothers By Blood

Aragorn drew Andúril slowly and carefully turned the sword in his hand. The light of the moon fell upon the blade and the mist covering the land made the blade seem glowing.

He turned and looked at his eight companions. They were standing in a ring, a symbol of brotherhood and how it in a way was them against the world, though irony had it also be the form of the Ring. Somehow it was only fitting that their symbol of brotherhood was the same as of what they were trying to undo. They were the Fellowship of the Ring.

His friends all had their head bowed solemnly and waited for Aragorn. In the middle of the circle burned a fire, it warmed the chilly night and together with the mist and the blue moon light created an atmosphere fitting for the ceremony they were about to have.

They had left Rivendell with no obligations to follow the Ring Bearer any further than they chose to, for twenty-three days now had they traveled together. I twenty-three days bonds had grown and deepened, they knew each other better than most of their previous friends in life and each and every one had said at some point during the last days that it was a shame that no vows had been made of any kind at all. All save for Gandalf, who had repeated Elrond's words of why they were not to swear to follow Frodo to the very fires of Mount Doom. It was Gimli who had angrily spoken up and said that there were other bonds to be made to honor their fellowship. No bond would bind them to the Ring's fate but they could vow to each other as a group, as nine, as a fellowship.

The eight people waited solemnly, the ninth held back. Aragorn looked at his companions and wondered what end they would all come to. Would all nine of them travel to Mount Doom or would some part ways before that? He knew that the Hobbits would all go together unless forced to do otherwise but he had doubted the rest of them. Gandalf would no doubt follow Frodo all the way, but Boromir longed to go back to Minas Tirith and help defend Gondor. Aragorn much desired to go with him, before they left Rivendell Boromir had accepted Aragorn's claim to the throne of Gondor and the two had become good friends. Aragorn wanted to follow him to Minas Tirith and defend their city together. The biggest question was what would be the destination for Legolas and Gimli, the only weak link of the fellowship as they had a hard time seeing past the ancient differences between Dwarves and Elves and were easy to quarrel. Aragorn hoped the ceremony they were about to begin would help them get over their differences, even if strong friendship between the two was something he didn't see happening. At least by the vow they would make tonight they would always stay true to each other.

Aragorn stepped into the circle, ready to begin. He looked up at the sky and saw Eärendil shining her brightest light upon the company. It seemed to Aragorn as if it was a blessing upon the ceremony and the vow that would be made. The nine of the company were to vow to each other that they would always remain true, never endanger anyone in the company and always stand by each other's sides even if great leagues of distance lay between them. No vow would be made to go with Frodo until the very end, their vow was to all in the company, to remain true and always fight for each other in whatever way possible. It was a vow which was fitting, for they all knew that their only way of success was by staying true to each other.

Aragorn stepped up to the Ring Bearer, it should all begin with him. Frodo looked up at the ranger through his curly bangs and there was fear in his eyes when Aragorn raised his sword. But the Hobbit trusted the ranger and when he was asked to reach out his hand he did as told without a moment's hesitation.

Aragorn took the small hand in his own and with his sword gently cut the palm of the hand. Frodo twitched but didn't pull his hand back, and when his hand was released a small string of blood was making its way down his fingers. Then his other hand was lifted.

"For being the Ring Bearer" Aragorn had said while cutting Frodo's first hand. While he cut the second he continued; "For courage and for Middle-Earth."

Then Aragorn turned to the person it should continue with, Gandalf. The wizard who was standing next to Frodo placed his hand in the ranger's and felt the smarting pain when the blade of the reforged sword drew his blood.

"For being our guide and leader" Aragorn said, then lifted the old man's other hand and cut it. "For wisdom and for strength."

He then passed Sam and Gimli and stopped by Merry, the third person in his order, and the Hobbit's hand was placed in his.

"For being the leader of the Perian" he said, remembering how the Hobbit had led the secret conspiracy and led his friends to Bree. The other hand of the halfling was then in his. "For friendship and for devotion."

Aragorn walked back to Sam, whose hand shook nervously when it was placed in Aragorn's. Sam bit his lip and gasped slightly when the blade cut his hand.

"For being the servant of the Ring Bearer" Aragorn said and repeated the procedure with Sam's other hand. "For service and for devotion."

He walked on to Legolas.

"For bringing the blessings of the Fair Folk." The Elf's hand had been free from all scars until now, but it neither twitched nor shook when the blade cut it. Neither did the second hand. "For keen eyes and for endurance."

Pippin was next. The Hobbit didn't open his closed eyes when Aragorn stopped before him.

"Give me your hand, Peregrin" Aragorn gently said and the Hobbit obeyed. "For being the Ring Bearer's trusted friend." Then the second hand. "For friendship and for support." When the Hobbit's hand lowered Aragorn placed his hand on the small shoulder. "You did well, Peregrin."

Then came Boromir, who briskly handed Aragorn his first hand with the determination of a warrior trained to disregard from pain.

"For being a warrior of Gondor. For strength and for protection."

Boromir's second hand fell down to his side and Aragorn walked over to Gimli who handed him his hand with the stubbornness of a Dwarf not wanting to admit that the blade looked awfully sharp. Aragorn took the hand and carefully cut the palm.

"For representing the Dwarves, who took part in the finding of the One. For loyalty and for strength."

He then cut his own left hand with the blade. "For being the protector of the halflings" he said, choosing not to focus on the throne he was to claim but on what his role had been when he had first started out on this journey. He gave the blade to Gimli who cut his left hand as well.

"For guidance and for protection" the Dwarf said before Aragorn could speak.

With a smile to the Dwarf Aragorn took Andúril and placed it back in its shed. He stepped into the open spot in the ring and lowered his head like the rest. As if on a given signal they all reached out their hands and grabbed the hands of the two people next to them. Cut was pressed against cut, blood mixed with blood. Legolas began chanting in Elvish and the cuts in nine pairs of hands throbbed as if having their own heartbeats, mixing the blood of the nine companions. Frodo's blood passed to Gandalf, and further on to Sam and Gimli, making its way through Merry and Legolas, Boromir and Pippin until it by Aragorn's hand the blood came back into Frodo's veins with the blood of all his companions with it.

Legolas chants, which had been as melodic as a song, quieted for a minute. Then he began chanting in the Common Tongue, translating his words so that they all could hear.

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By mixing blood

We brothers are

Our eternal companionship

Fidelity and shelter

We hereby swear

For all the years

And things to come

For every trouble

Toil or sorrow

We pledge to always true remain

When enemies come near to us

We shall not falter, shall not disperse

Each one protects the other eight

And receives protection in return

So is our destiny

There shall be no need to fear

For nine bring shelter to one another

There shall be no need to grieve

For nine bring comfort to one another

Nine shall be as one

For courage, for Middle-Earth

For guidance, for leadership

For friendship, for devotion

For service, for keen eyes

For endurance, for support

For strength, for protection

In any weather, at any time

When the light shines the brightest

When the black night is the darkest

For loyalty

So we nine have sworn

And our blood signs the pact

We have given to each other what we all shall receive

So let it be sworn, so let it be done

We are brothers of blood

Slowly the nine opened their eyes and looked at each other. The pact was sealed, the vow was taken. They were companions before, now they were brothers by blood, and whatever future lay ahead of them they would always be brothers. It was as a culture of its own and each member had his place. They would now be forever bound to the promise they had made here tonight and neither death nor torture would break their sacred circle. There was no force under the sun which could break these vows or make anyone of them untrue to the fellowship.

But as with most other things the rule had one exception. When Frodo's hands let go of Gandalf and Aragorn's his right hand reached up to the One Ring.

Please review! All comments are welcome, but constructive is preferred to bashing =)


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